BST POSTS

Ducati Superleggera BST Wheels A carbon fiber dream. That’s the best way to describe the brand new 1299 Superleggera. The latest example of a legend that was kickstarted with the 1199 Superleggera of 2014, the new 1299 Superlegerra BST Wheels will feature more carbon fiber than any previous production motorcycle.

It’s the first factory production bike to be equipped with a carbon fibre frame, swingarm, subframe and wheels, and results in a gobsmacking kerb mass of just 167kg – or 156kg dry. Combine such a low mass with the incredible 215bhp output from the 1285cc L-twin Superquadro engine, and it should add up to the one of the most devastatingly effective superbike packages ever created.

Such parts made from the lightweight material include the frame, swingarm, subframe and, for the first time on a production motorcycle, the wheels.

The bodywork, resplendent in Ducati’s racing colors and mimicking those of company’s Desmosedici GP16 MotoGP racer, is also made from carbon fiber.

Under all that is an engine Ducati claims is the most powerful in their history. A 215 horsepower L-twin desmodromic monster takes center stage, with a host of electronic aids to keep it under control via the six-axis Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit. Ducati has refined their traction control system (Ducati Traction Control EVO) that debuted on the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario earlier this year; the system also houses the Ducati Slide Control (DSC) and is the first machine to come standard with Ducati Launch Control (DLC) and a new version of the Ducati Engine Brake Control (EBC). On top of that, there’s the a newly calibrated Bosch Cornering ABS system to keep this thing rubber side down.

The styling is close to the 1299 Anniversario bar the massive, WorldSBK-style twin mufflers that exit under the seat, although these will be country-specific.

Limited to just 500 units, making it an instant classic, the 1299 Superlegerra BST Wheels can be yours for, wait for it, $80,000. Even at that price, we doubt there’ll be a lack of buyers lining up to nab one.

2017 Ducati 1299 Superleggera BST Wheels : key details

Frame

Carbon fiber monocoque

Carbon fiber single-sided swingarm

Carbon fiber wheels with aluminium hubs

Carbon fiber rear subframe

Aluminum tank

Carbon fiber fairing

Multi-adjustable Öhlins FL936 upside down 43 mm fork

Multi-adjustable Öhlins TTX36 shock absorber with titanium spring

Brembo MCS 19.21 radial front pump

Brembo TT29OP1 brake pads with increased friction coefficient

ID number on top yoke: 1/500

Engine

Superquadro engine with 215 hp at 11,000 rpm and 107lb-ft at 9,000 rpm

2-segment pistons with a diameter of 116 mm to boost the compression ratio and aluminium

BST was at EICMA – the Premier European motorcycle show.

Introducing the BST BLACK EAGLE –

the straight 7 spoke carbon fibre wheel from BST with interchangeable hub fitments. This innovative design brings together the popular 7 spoke wheel with an interchangeable secondary brake adapter and sprocket carrier, allowing the rear wheel to fit multiple different motorcycles.

Available in the first quarter of 2017, orders can be placed in January 2017. Initial Black Eagle fitment options will include:
ZX-10R, ZX-14R, R1M, S1000RR, 899/959, GSX-R1000 and Hayabusa

BST – The widest wheel choices:

7 styles

20 brands

50 sizes

200 fitments

3 paint finishes

Introducing New Candy Color Options:

These new finish options will be available in 3 glorious candy apple colors; Green, Blue and Red. Match your bike while keeping the natural beauty of carbon fiber.

Ducati Project 1408 Superleggera on BST Custom Wheels Reveal

Ducati launched a new version of its limited-edition halo superbike, the Superleggera, with some staggering numbers: 220 hp and 342 lbs.

Ducati has unveiled a Superleggera version of the 1299 Panigale at EICMA after photos of the new speedster were leaked to the internet before the show

The 1299 Superleggera features a carbon fiber frame, swingarm, subframe, BST Carbon wheels and bodywork, an uprated engine with an output of 215 horsepower and a new electronics package.

Only 500 examples of the bike will be produced and each will be supplied with a track kit that includes an all-titanium Akrapovic exhaust system (that adds a further five horsepower) and other accessories for racetrack use

BST Carbon Fibre Car Wheel

We’ll also have the Vuhl BST Carbon Fibre Car Wheel at the show, together with a wide selection from our motorcycle wheel range.

The VUHL 05RR – Mexico’s most exhilarating export and precision-engineered lightweight supercar. Road-registered but track-focused, the VUHL 05RR comes with full carbon fibre bodywork and a hybrid aluminum-carbon monocoque to trim its already low weight by over 10 percent to 640kg dry. Its highly efficient 2.3l Ecoboost engine, with 6-speed sequential gearbox, produces 385 horsepower, marking a gain of 100bhp over the original VUHL 05. BST Carbon Fiber Car Wheels making a huge difference – The resulting 600bhp-per-tonne statistic is greater than the Ferrari F12 TDF, McLaren P1 and Bugatti Veyron.

Zero to 62mph arrives in 2.7 seconds and it keeps climbing to 160mph. A lowered centre of gravity of 50mm and high speed steering rack result in the ultimate race car for the road.

BST TURBO Honda CB1300

Jonathan Newman took his 246kg Honda CB1300S and turned it into a TURBO missile riding on our carbon fiber wheels.

With a paltry 113hp at the crank and 117NM of torque, he wanted more power and the easiest way to get that was to fit a turbo. Or so he thought! Newman created his ‘Beast’ after a 2009 discussion about superchargers verses turbos, and after initial investigation he decided that nobody knew much about supercharging a motorcycle. His search for more power took the best part of five years, plus the cost of a second CB1300 because his turbo CB1300S was off the road so much. Newman’s jour-ney is a tale of woe and perseverance, and a story worth telling because despite extreme challenges he now has the motorcycle of our dreams.

Click on the PDF to open Issue 102 of Rapid Magazine to read the whole article

“BST wheels are definitely worth the price if you’re looking for a simple bolt-on performance upgrade that will pay dividends in braking, acceleration and handling.” – Heed MotorcycleUSA Road Test

Wheeled Science

A large Fed-Ex box arrived in the office the other day. This was the final piece of the puzzle, the coup de grace for our CBR600RR Project Bike. The other editors in the office gathered around as the box was opened. We waited with bated breath as the gift inside was unveiled: A gleaming black carbon fiber rear wheel with machined aluminum hub shone brightly in the glow of our florescent office lights. The translucent carbon resin has thousands of fibers aligned perfectly, forming the most magnificent black, five-spoke wheel any of us had ever seen. MotorcycleUSA Road Test

“What is that?” asked our office intern in a cowed tone with his eyes bulging. He slowly extended his trembling hand to touch it like it was the Holy Grail. His hand is slapped away. We explain that this is the single sickest piece of unobtanium you can procure for a motorcycle and that he was not allowed to ever, ever touch them. He skulks away, casting a cold stare over his shoulder while the rest of us close into a defensive circle, reveling in their technological beauty.

Carbon fiber wheels like these from BlackstoneTek are just about the most gorgeous additions you can make to a motorcycle. Plus, they offer an immediate performance gain that can be seen on the scale, lap timer or your trusty seat of the pants dyno! Check out the trick aluminum carrier. Nice!

All joking aside, that is sort of how it went down. The $3750 carbon fiber BST wheels are about the most stunning aftermarket components I’ve ever seen on a motorcycle, this side of our pin-up calendar girls. We had them bolted onto our 2010 Honda CBR600RR Modified Supersport project bike and were chomping the bit to find out what you get for selling your soul to hang these ornaments on your ride. So, we strapped our trusty V-Box data acquisition system to the front of the CBR and burned a few knee pucks across the apexes of our favorite road course, Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, Ca.

Before we hit the track, here’s a look at the BST carbon fiber wheels we would be evaluating. They are are manufactured in South Africa under the name Blackstone Tek since 2002 and have sold over 22,000 wheels in under a decade. They feature CNC-machined billet aluminum carriers and are offered with steel bearings or ceramic bearings. The front wheel weighs in at 6.1 pounds without rotors and 12.1 pounds with rotors while the rear is 8.2 pounds, but that increases to 10.1 pounds with the sprocket hub attached. Keep in mind the new generation CBR600RR OEM wheels are lighter than most other supersport bikes. The Honda front is 14.1 pounds with rotors while the rear is 13 pounds with the brake disc but without the 4.5- pound sprocket and cush drive. Using the Honda meant that the BST wheels would be compared against the lightest OEM wheels we could muster up, which should make any measureable performance gain that much more impressive.

As usual, Ken does the manual labor while Adam plays factory rider with the Shift dudes. Someday Adam, someday!

We are comfortable and familiar with the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa so we chose them for our baseline rubber to keep the playing field level during our Shift Racing track day the test was soon under way. T-Hill usually has decent grip, although on this day, temperatures were a little nippy and grip wasn’t at a premium. Since we were conducting this test at a track day we were not able to get a clean lap every time we circulated the track. After taking turns for a session on each bike to scrub in the tires and get familiarized with how they felt, we sent Road Test Editor Adam Waheed on course with the job of turning a dozen laps with each set of wheels so we could get good, usable data for our review. Heed took note as to which laps were the cleanest and combined the best three so that lap times, section splits and general data was averaged out and not just an anomaly. Adam is a steady, consistent rider who is familiar with T-Hill and has a good feel for what the motorcycle is doing. When he came back from his first session on the BST wheels he proclaimed that they made a huge difference in all aspects of the bikes performance.

“Compared to the stock wheels the BST wheels made a dramatic change in the bikes handling,” explains Waheed. “It changed directions from side-to-side so much faster that it actually took a bit of time for me to acclimate to how quick it steered into the corners.” MotorcycleUSA Road Test

In that Turn 3 to Turn 5 section the BST wheels made up over a half second over the OEM wheels (pictured) including the slight speed advantage on the drive out of the turns.

Our assumption is that they should decrease the time and effort it takes to hustle a motorcycle through a technical section like the Turn 3 through Turn 5A segment at Thunderhill and that’s exactly the case. Data analysis revealed that the average time through this section on the CBR with OEM wheels was 18.31 seconds. With the BST wheels the average time was 17.74 seconds, a half second quicker. This is a significant amount of time which was supported by the indicated trap speeds through the two short sections of track connecting these turns. A key to the faster time has to be attributed to the quicker transitions and acceleration. Turn in feels much more immediate and a little extra jump off the corner doesn’t hurt either. Our average top speed between Turn 3 and Turn 4 was 69.13 mph on the OEM wheels and 73.24 mph with the carbon fiber wheels. Between Turn 4 and Turn 5 the OEM top speed was 77.45 mph compared to 82.56 mph with the BST. Apex speed was also higher through T4 and T5 on with the BST as well.

Taking a look at the section as a whole, you enter Turn 3 going slightly downhill on the brakes scrubbing off 90-95 mph into an off-camber 60-mph right-hand turn. It’s a sketchy entrance to a section of four turns that includes the technical “Cyclone” aka Turn 5 & 5A that shoots you uphill into Turn 5 over a blind 45 mph left at the crest. As you drag your knee over the curb the track drops away steeply as you plummet downhill that is all a part of the same sweeping off camber right hander known as Turn 5A. It is exciting and there’s nothing that can challenge a bike’s flickability on this track like this sequence. The rider muscles the back from side to side, accelerating, trail-braking and shifting without a reprieve for close to 20 seconds.

The fact that you can manipulate the motorcycle with slightly less effort and feel the improved turn in response right away had us impressed with the performance advantage offered by the BST carbon fiber wheels.

If the review was based on this section alone we would say the BST carbon fiber wheels make a huge difference but as we dig deeper into the data there are a few areas that they didn’t hold such a clear advantage. On the ultra-fast back straight that starts on the exit of Turn 6 and continues through Turn 7 and Turn 8 the OEM and BST wheels were neck and neck. The limiting factor for the BST wheels here was a more flighty, somewhat less stable feeling from the front end as we rocked through this sequence at 115 mph while dragging your leg if you’re so inclined to hang off that far. It would take a bit of time to dial in the fork to offset the reduced un-sprung weight of the carbon fiber wheels but we did not have the time to make that happen. As it was, the split times revealed the OEM wheels averaged a 0.25 second advantage through a section that takes 21-22 seconds to navigate. This is a section that puts a premium on the rider’s ability to get a good drive out of Turn 6 so any lapped traffic could skew the results of a lap time, but remember that is why we ran this data as an average and not base it on a single fast lap. Although it is a small gain, the noticeable stability of the bike and OEM wheels during extended high-speed maneuvering just cannot go unmentioned.

For that matter we are brought back down to earth a bit by the data from the Turn 10 through Turn 13 segment as well. With the OEM wheels we averaged 14.74 seconds compared to 14.67 with the BST. It’s a scant amount of time that was offset by the average exit speed at the end of the section at Turn 12 where the OEM wheels recorded 81.17 mph compared to 80.82 mph for the BST. Then there’s the top speed between Turn 10 and Turn 11 where the OEM edge out the BST 80.48 to 80.47mph. For pundits looking for ammo to discount the benefit of the lighter carbon wheels, the argument ends right here.

From the exit of Turn 13 all the way to Start-Finish the BST wheels accelerate faster. Starting with a one mph advantage out of T13 the BST gain three mph on the OEM wheels on the straight leading to Turn 14. It is the initial drive out that for a couple hundred feet that the gain is made then the speeds stay parallel at 126 mph for the OEM and 129 mph for the BST. At the end of the front straight there is less of a difference with an average top speed of 137.72 mph for the OEM and 139.06 mph with the BST wheels. Again, the advantage occurs in the first couple seconds, then the difference is maintained the length of the straight. When you add up all the slight advantages over the course of a lap you can see how it is easy to decrease lap times by a second or more with the addition of the lighter wheels. But acceleration and handling are not the only areas that improve. MotorcycleUSA Road Test

Apparently, less reciprocating mass slows down easier too. Who would’ve guessed it would be such a significant gain though? Check out that new Diablo Supercorsa rubber.

One of the bigger surprises came when the data revealed that braking performance showed significant gains. Remember that the Modified Honda CBR600RR had aftermarket brakes from the start so this is a good apples–to-apples comparison. Speed was shed more quickly in the first couple seconds of hard braking with the BST wheels than the stock wheels. From 120 mph the carbon fiber units shortened the distance it took to get to 60 mph by an average of 97 feet. Can anyone see a benefit to out-braking another rider into a turn?

“I noticed an improvement in terms of braking with a reduced amount of lever input required to get the machine to slow down,” confirms Waheed. “In terms of acceleration the bike didn’t feel like it accelerated much harder but considering how much of a difference it made in side-to-side handling and braking I assume that the wheels do contribute to faster acceleration.”

The question you have to ask is will a set of BST carbon fiber wheels help me? It depends on what you are trying to accomplish. When it is all said and done the faster riders stand to get the most from lighter wheels. These are the folks looking to shave a few extra tenths off their lap times here and there. Club racers in particular would stand to benefit from a little bit more acceleration and the reduced effort associated with maneuvering the motorcycle at race speeds. It’s a cumulative effect. They should in theory, save a little energy throughout the process. Fast riders will also be able to dial-in their motorcycle suspension and chassis better than the average rider so they will be able to exploit the benefits of lighter wheels. The wheels turn in quicker so riders may not need to drop the front end so low. This can then allow for the front end to be set up higher and reward the rider with the best of both worlds so the bike turns in quick while remaining stable. We mentioned earlier that this will take a little effort to get the chassis sorted but would be well worth it in the end.

By contrast you have the track day or regular street riders. Their performance gains they will be more pronounced and the expense could be easier to justify. Imagine shedding a second or two off your lap times by swapping wheels? Imagine gaining a couple mph on the straight and a few tenths here and there without much effort? No doubt it seems great in theory so here are a few pros and cons to keep in mind. MotorcycleUSA Road Test

“If you’re looking for a simple bolt-on performance upgrade that will pay dividends in braking, acceleration and handling these BST wheels are definitely worth the price.” – Heed

First of all, when choosing performance enhancing products like tires, exhaust, brakes, engine work or in this case, wheels: There is always a price to be paid and usually a sacrifice as well. Sticky tires offer more grip but are expensive and don’t last as long. Exhausts look and sound bad-ass, shed some weight and give usually a 10% increase in horsepower, but there is usually a slight sacrifice in bottom- or top-end power, plus these days they can bring the heat down on you too. New rotors, braided lines and top-shelf calipers are a no-nonsense way to take your braking system to the next level. Cost is the biggest factor here, otherwise there’s not a lot of downside unless you screw something up on install. So let’s look at the pros and cons of the lighter wheels. A relatively straight forward and simple upgrade requires new sprockets too. The bike will be quicker, more agile and braking performance will increase. Plus, the motorcycle will look like a factory machine with all that gorgeous carbon fiber.MotorcycleUSA Road Test

Do you get $4000 worth of performance out of a set of BST wheels?

We believe the data supports an argument for the value of lighter wheels. There are instances where the OEM wheels are on par with the BST units but the majority of the time the carbon fiber hoops provide a legitimate performance increase in key areas. They receive the MotorcycleUSA Road Test Editor Adam Waheed’s stamp of approval so what more do you need?

Larry “Spiderman” McBride and team celebrates the first win for the new motorcycle

“I can’t tell you how happy I am and how thankful I am to everyone who has helped us along the way. It’s been a real battle,” said McBride, who has fought hard to correct minor gremlins in his machine since debuting it earlier this year. “It was a great weekend and I’m confident we have an awesome motorcycle.”

A lot of the help McBride mentioned came from longtime supporter Trim-Tex Drywall Products, who stepped up to be the team’s primary sponsor 10 months ago.

“I could not be happier. They are like family and they have been working very hard,” Joe Koenig, president of Trim-Tex said. “It’s incredible how many hours they have put into the machine and the program. It’s so nice to see it pay off.”

Larry McBride and Joe Koenig

Lately McBride has gotten a little advice and help from an expert in the Top Fuel car world.

“I have to thank Bill Miller at BME big time,” McBride said. “He’s been a great inspiration.”

The much-anticipated win ends a more than-year-long event victory drought for McBride, who last won in August of 2015, also in Rockingham. Since that last win McBride sustained a near-career ending explosion and almost totaled his former motorcycle “Blue.” He’s been determined to make a comeback all along.

“It’s been a very humbling experience. It has not been easy and we have worked very hard. This win was very gratifying,” said McBride, who was able to complete the race using just one motor. “We have learned a lot.”

The win also inserts McBride right back into the championship picture. He entered the race trailing Wills by 38 points and now is less than a round behind. McBride will ride his championship hopes into the ManCup Finals in Valdosta, Ga. this November.

“It would be awesome to get No. 16. I’m going to give it my best,” McBride said. “I’ve learned you cannot count points. When you start counting them, that’s when you don’t get them.”

Koenig is equally excited at the prospect of winning a championship.

“The fact that they were able to run on one motor all weekend in hot conditions with a difficult track says a lot. They have killed the gremlin,” Koenig said. “It’s going to be a real battle in November.”

Next up for McBride will be a match race with Dave Vantine at the IDBL DME Fall Nationals from Maryland International Raceway, Oct. 7-9.

“We might have to go for a new record,” said McBride, who holds the national record at 5.76 said. “We have a lot of confidence in this bike right now.”

Blackstone Tek congratulates Brad Binder who became the first South African Motorcycle Grand Prix world champion in 36 years, when he closed out the Moto3 title with four rounds still to go. The 21-year-old finished second in his race to wrap things up.

Brad Binder’s nickname is Bradical, a moniker he’ll be expected to live up to in as he takes on the Moto3 World Championship with the Red Bull KTM Ajo team.

South African Brad started out in karts and was national champion aged just eight. Looking for a new challenge he moved on to two wheels at 10 years old, and hasn’t looked back since.

After rapid progress on motorcycles in his native South Africa, Brad was accepted into the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup for 2009, and his talent shone enough over the next few seasons.

In 2011 he was drafted into the RW Racing team in the 125cc World Championship as a replacement for the injured Luis Salom. Brad’s displays and professional approach impressed the team, and he earned a full time Moto3 ride with them for 2012.

In 2013 he rode a Mahindra and made excellent progress, and went on to score two podiums the following season, with his performances catching the attention of a number of top teams in the paddock.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo set-up were able to beat off the competition to earn Brad’s signature, and his adventure with the three-time championship-winning outfit brought him four podiums in 2015.

2016 quickly saw a maiden victory for Brad at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España in April.

Norton’s 200hp V4 Superbike Plans Revealed!

A Norton super bike has been discussed since back in 2008 when the business was re-energized by entrepreneur Stuart Garner but we haven’t got a chirp since then, until now that is.

According to Norton’s Head of Design, Simon Skinner, this new class of Norton motorcycle will feature a brand new V4 engine, designed, built and crafted utilizing the best of British racing’s tradition and knowledge. They’re even calling in help from us guys from BST, at Formula One and a few favors from Aston Martin to guarantee that this super bike truly has the ‘wow’ factory. To raise your eyebrows, Norton have let slip that they plan to build a fuel injected and liquid cooled 1200cc engine with an output of more than 200 hp, which should turn a few heads, at the very least – a task that they’ve assigned Ricardo Motorcycles to develop. On top of that, Norton also plans to race into the 21st century with a wide range of Gran Prix style gadgetry and enough on board tech and Carbon Fiber to make this new (currently nameless) Norton able to compete with the some of the best sports bikes out there.

With an engine that boasts optimum performance, Norton also plan to give the bike a body worthy of the Norton name, complete with carbon fiber fairings, an aerospace aluminum and billet frame and sporty single sided swing arm, as well as our BST Carbon Fiber Wheels to boot. Apparently, the shapes that Norton’s designers have thought up for this new model are too complicated, thus ruling out using plastic for the fairings. All of the work will be undertaken by British engineers at their British base in Great Britain’s Midlands – it’s so British, something’s bound to go wrong.

Hopefully they give us a shout here at BST before that – so we can help!

OK, time for the price. While nothing is confirmed yet, we do know that the Norton will come out in two versions: a standard and a premium. Comparing the Norton with the Panigale and Superleggera, a good estimate would place the Norton somewhere between the $40k to $45 region for the standard model. For the premium, it’s worth considering the cost of the Superleggera and pitching it at around price, $84k, which is a phenomenal amount of money.

So there you have it. No name. No definitive price. No talk of availability. It’s one for the wealthy riders only. But it is a new Norton though…

This luxury Ducati Monster utilizes the best equipment available in the motorcycle industry today, from top manufacturers such as Brembo, Ohlins, Rizoma and BST. These race proven parts are combined into a tasteful, high performance package, that will propel the Christian Audigier Ducati Monster 1100 S into a instant classic.

This luxury Ducati Monster utilizes the best equipment available in the motorcycle industry today, from top manufacturers such as Brembo, Ohlins, Rizoma and BST. These race proven parts are combined into a tasteful, high performance package, that will propel the Christian Audigier Ducati Monster 1100 S into a instant classic.

R1 rider in the UK:

“My friend and I race identical R1s in the UK PowerBike Championship. My friend fitted BST wheels to his bike which I’ve just tested at Brands short circuit and was shocked after only a few laps to find myself lapping three seconds faster than ever before. I also couldn’t believe how the bike now turns faster and holds a tighter line. I’ve tried two makes of magnesium and aluminum race wheels before, but could tell no worthwhile difference and my lap times hardly altered. That’s why I’m ordering a pair of BSTs from you now!”

I have them on my 06 and they are the single, most effective mod I’ve done, followed closely by the Ohlins shock. I think they’re worth every cent, I’ve had them for four years, and every time I ride it, I notice it. Absolutely worth the money.